Circuit maker and breaker.



PATENTBD AUG. 21, 1906.

G. J. KLEIN.

CIRCUIT MAKER AND BREAKER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a H Y I W, l l

@Uilm/mosca PATENTE!) AUG. 21, 1906.

G. J. KLEIN. CIRCUIT MAKER AND BREAKER.

APPLIATION FILED AUGA 6, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

witnesses point bf tional viewta t ings, the improve A strumentality of which ,i A' sion mem A'gitudinal sectional l UNITED sTATEs PATENT OEEIOE.

, cHaRLEs J. KLEIN, OF NEW YORK; N. Y. :'Ass1G.NoR To RALPH A.

' SOHOENBERG, Or NEW YORK, N. Y.

clnoulT MAKER AND BREAKER.

Application lllil August B, 1904. Serial No. 219.795.

To all whom it may concern:

1 ABe it known that I, CHARLES J. KLEIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borou h of Manhattan, city, county, and State Vof Ngew- York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Circuit Makers and Breakers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrical circuit makers and breakers; and it has for its object to provide improved mechanism or apparatus of this class vwhichwill be superior in simplicity and inexpensiveness of construction, positiveness of operation, comgactness of form,'durability, and general efcienc In t e drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical lony View of a, circuit maker and breaker embodying the improvements.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal transverse sectional View of the same, taken upon the line a: of Fig. 1 lookinlgin the direction of the appended arrow. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view ta en u on the line y y of Fig. 1 and looking in the irecltion of the appended `arrow, and Fi f1 is a detail transverse secen u on the line zz of Fig. 1 and looking inthe irectin of the appended arrow.

vCorre's denoted .Referring with articular-ity to the drawdp circuit maker and breaker embodies a contact member A, an actuating member B, and a tension member C,'inter' posedbetween the actuating member B and the contact member Aand through the intension member C the contact member A-is actuated by the actuating member B to make or break an electrical circuit through circuit membersor Wires D and'E, respectively-. 4The contact member is so operatively connected with the tener C and the tension member C is ondingjparts in all the gures are y the same referencecharacters.

so operatively connected with the'actuating. member B that when ,thev actuating member B has Abeen bro ht into o eration to cause the tension meiixiber C to liring the contact member A into circuit-making osition, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1 t e members A and B are maintained positively in the positions resultant upon such actuation until the'actuating member B is again brou ht into play to cause the tension member to break the contact of the contact member A and the circuit meirbers D and Ev and bring the contact member A into the non-contacting position, (shownindotted lines in Fig.1

which member A, together with the member B, 4is maintained by the tension member C in the then result position until the further employment g the actuating member B. The actuating member B is movabl mounted, as at F, and the contact member is movably mounted, as at G.

A preferred form of construction of the improved circuit maker and breaker above described in general is as follows: In such preferred construction for the specific purpose of setting forth the use of the 4improvements for the simultaneous making and breaking of two electric circuits there are shown in the drawings two circuit members or wires D and two circuit members orwires E and two contact members A, arranged and adapted for suse in'connection, respectively, with the two sets of circuit members or wires D and E, said sets of circuit-wires D and E being arranged in convenient proximity, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. In a convenient and compact form of embodiment of the improvements the members A, B, C, D, and E are arranged within and connected with a suitable box or cas' H, atr one end of which are received inan insulating-housing or chambered block 1 of insulating material the two sets of circuit-wires D` and E, the latter being prop- `Patented Aug. 21, 1906.

erly bared for direct contact by the contact y members A. At the other end of the box or casing H at G arepivotally su ported the contact members A, which mem ers are carried, respectively, upon arms 2 and 3 mounted to scillate in a vertiCaIJIane, the inner ends of said arms being fixe to the opposite ends of a rock'Lshaft 4, supported in suitable bearings 5 and 6, res ective connected with the casin H. Eac of the contact members A com carrie at the outer end of one of the arms 2 and 3 and Ya contact-piece 8 of electrical conductivity, which is fixed to the insulating-block 7 and formed to contact with and complete an electrical circuit through the circuit-wires D and E. The block 7 and the contact-piece 8 may be`o'f any preferred and suitable form to obtain the best electrical contact with the circuit-Wires and enable the rmoet desirable making and breaking of the electrical circuit. The housing 1 for the circuit-wires D and E is arranged in the proper plane to permit the Contact with the two sets of circuit-wires D and E of the contact members A, respectively, said contact members, with their supporting-arms 2 and 3, being preferably arran ed in spaced parallel relation, as clearly s own in Fig. 2.

The shaft 4 is provided intermediate of the bearings 5 and 6 with a hub 9, at which point the operative connection of the tension member C with the contact members A is effected. The actuating member B is arranged at the top of the casing H, considering the member H as the bottom member of said casing and the member H2 as the top member of said casing, and said actuating member B comprises a pivotally-supported body 10, which is thus pivotally supported intermediate of its ends, as at 11, for oscillation within an elongated opening 12, formed longitudinally of the top member H2 of the casing, said body being provided at each end with a separate finger piece or button 13 and 14, respectively, b means of which buttons the ybody 10 may e rocked or oscillated in a vertical plane.. The bod t 1() at its point 11 of piv-.

otal support is ormed or provided with a hub or enlargement 15, at which point is effected the operative connection of the actu ating member B with the tension member C.

The tension member C consists of an elongated flat or plate spring 16, or of an elongated plate-spring the tensional influence or quality of which tends to the maintenance of said spring in a flat condition, said spring 16 bearing operativelyat one end 17 in connection with the hub 15 of the bodyl 10 of the actuating member B. The spring 16 bears operatively at its other end 18, in connection with the hub 9, upon the shaft 4. thus associating the spring 16 in operative connection with the hub 15 and the hubr9 the hub 15 is provided with a slot 19, formed radially in said hub 15 with respect to the axis of oscillation of the body 10, and the hub 9 is provided with a slot 20, formed radiall' with respect to the axis of the shaft 4, and t e end 17 of the spring 16 is received Within the slot 19, the end 18 of the spring 16 being received within the slot 20. The spring 16 is formed of a predetermined length reater than the `measurement of a straight ine drawn from the inner point of termination of the slot 19 to the inner point of termination of the yslot 20. It results from this preportioning of the length ofthe spring 16 that the same can never eX- tend in a flat plane between the hub 15 and the hub 9 and that when against its inherent resilienceit is forced from a bowed or curved condition at either side of such fiat plane it' will assume a bowed or curved condition at the other side of such fiat plane, such bowed or curved condition being proportionate to To the end of the length of the spring 16 or', in other words,

being such as required for the` accommodaactuating member B. The form of the slots 19 and 2O being such as to closely or snugly receive the ends 17 and 18, respectively, of the spring 16, this movement of the contact member A and the actuating member B necessarily accompanies thel Ysaid flection or' buckling of the spring 16, and it furthermore.

follows that as this flection or bucklin of the spring 16 may be effected the app ication of force at either end of sai spring the osc'illation of the body 10 of the actuating member B will, because of the operative connection of the spring 16 therewith, causethe oscillation of the shaft 4 and the accompanying oscillation of the arms 2 andv 3 of the contact members A. The alternate application of pressure upon the buttons 13 and 14 of the body 10 of the actuating member B will therefore cause the alternate movement of the arms 2 and 3 and the contact members A in opposite directions or for the purpose herein involved to alternately make` and break contact with the two sets of circuitwires D and E. The length of the spring 16 with res 1o spect to the shortest distance between the inner points of termination of the slots 19 and 20 thus determines the extent of buckling or flection of the spring 16, and consequently the extent of oscillation of the shaft 4, the arms 2 and 3, and the contact member A, and the circuit-wiresD and E are arranged in pro er positions to receive and contact with t e contact members A inthe circuitf making movement of said contact members A, so that the said contact or contacts shall be maintained under positive tension of the spring 16;

From the above it is manifest that the rocking or oscillation of the body l of the actuating member B b application of pressure alternately to the uttons 13 and 14 will cause the alternate lection or buckling of the spring 16 into oppositely-bowed conditions and the simultaneous movement of the contact members A alternately into and out of position of contact with the circuit members or wires D and E. Furthermore, itis manifest that after the flection or bucklin' of the spring `16 into either of its oppositelyowed conditions the contact member A and they ,actuating member B will be maintained in the positions assumed in their movements accompanying such ection or buckling until byvensuing flection or buckling of the spring 16 by the actuating member B the alternate positions of the parts and members are permitted.

The operation, advantages, and method of use of the im rovements in circuit makers and breakers wi l be readily understood from the fore oing description, taken in connection Wit the drawings and the following statement.

The casing H with its contents, comprising the members and features of the improvements, includin the circuit members or wires D and E, are a apted for installation in any preferred manner and in connection with any related electrical apparatus. When one or both of the two sets of circuit members or wires D and Eis or are electrically connected with any desired and suitable apparatus, the condition of circuit through the same may be established and controlled by the manual manipulation of the actuating member B by means of the linger-pieces 13 and 14, the depression or inward movement of the fingerpiece 14 bringing the members into the ositions shown in full lines in Fig. 1, in whic positions ofthe members and features closed electrical circuits arel established and maintained through the two sets of circuit members or wires D and E. The depression of the fingerpiece 13 results in bringing the members and eatures into the positions indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and when the members and features are in such latter positions open electrical circuits are caused to exist through the two sets or series of circuit members or wires D and E. The bowing or lateral deflection of the sprin 16 of the tension member C, resultant upon epression of either of the finger-pieces 13 or 14, as above stated, maintains the members and features in the positions assumed consequent upon such respective depressions of said finger-pieces, the end portions 17 and 18 of the spring 16 being caused to occupy positions jointly in a lane in one instance at one side of the pivota centers of the actuating member B and the shaft 4 and in the other instance in a plane at the other side of such pivotal centers and such end parts 17 and 18 of the spring 16, when the latter is in bowed condition, bearing under tension, respectively, u on the hubs 15 and 9.

The application of orce upon one end of the spring 16, constitutin the tension member C, causes a quick an positive lection of said spring and a consequent quick and positive make or break of the electrical circuit with all the well-known attendant advantages. The s ring 16 is necessarily but slightly bowe from its longitudinal extension in a flat plane, and thus its inherent resilience is not overtaxed, weakening of such spring being thus substantially obviated.

The direct operative connection of the actuating member B and the contact member or members A through the instrumentality of a tension member such as the spring 16 dispenses with the use of any purely powertransmitting4 devices with their attendant loss of motion and lack of positiveness of operation. It will also be noted that the members and features of a device comprising the improvements are simple and inexpensive in construction and that none of the same are liable to be subject to material wear and tear, with the possible exception of the spring 16, which may readily be substituted for after extended use by a fresh spring element.

I do not desire to be understoo( as linuting myself to the specific construction, relative arrangement and association of members and features as herein disclosed and set forth, but reserve the right to vary the same 1n adapting the improvements to varying conditions of use without departing from the the spirit of the invention or the terms of the following claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Apparatus of the character described, comrislng a pivotally-supported contact memer for making and breaking an electrical circuit; a ivotally-supported actuating member; and),a tension member consisting of an elongated spring operatively connected at its ends respectively with said contact member and said actuating member adjacent to the oints of pivotal support of said contact memlier and said actuating member; said spring being ermanently buckled and arranged to be buc led oppositely by said actuating member to force said contact member into varied pivotal positions.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES J. KLEIN.

Witnesses:

P. I. BLAKESLEE. J. H. CLEARY, 

